It's easy to think of all in-game advertising is pure evil, but in Australia at least, there are attempts to do some good while influencing the supple minds of young gamers. The Transport Accident Commission of Victoria has signed up with Microsoft's in-game ad provider Massive in order to put road safety commercials in a number of games, including Guitar Hero 5 and Forza 3.
Madden NFL 10 is doing something similar Stateside as well, providing its own set of drink driving adverts. Responsibility is all the rage at the moment, you know.
The TAC is one of those organizations that prefer the "baseball bat" approach to getting your attention. Their commercials are violent, shocking and unintentionally hilarious. Kotaku saw fit to post one and it made me smile morbidly, so hit the jump to check it out. If videogames get more ads like these, you can totally count me in.
Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize.
Likes
PS2, iPod Touch, Silent Hill 2, Metal Gear Solid, Dynasty Warriors 3
Meet the rest of the team
So...they're encouraging people to do 60 Kph within city limits rather than 70, in congested pedestrian areas no less? What's the inner city speed limit in Australia anyway? Over here it's 50, 30 in a place like the one in the spot. Sorry for the OT but I'm puzzled. And this is coming from a guy in a country with fucking Autobahns.
Man, you guys are lucky. Speed limit's 40 km/h here.
There was another ad of theirs, or maybe a british ad, where some guy is making out with his girlfriend... Then a speeding driver drives into them and crushes them both from the waist down.
I kid you not - a couple is making out in the countryside, then crushed from the waist down. The tagline was something along the lines of "Do it for her."
The TAC have billboards in Burnout Paradise and Saints Row too, I think it's a great way to put ads in game because they aren't intrusive at all, in fact it sort of helps the immersion when you see real billboards that aren't just for some fake company or someone trying to sell you something.
Also the TAC has the best ads, consistently shocking and amusing us for around a decade now.
Have a look at this latest one.
I love how, eleven times out of ten, these accident ads place fault solely on the driver. Don't bother looking both ways before crossing the street, and feel free to go speeding perpendicular to a drive-thru on your bike, because The Law will fuck the driver in the ass either way!
Yeah that ad is probably from the Mid 90s. the Victorian (state where I live, dunno bout the rest) have totally fucked with the Speed limit now.
Now in Unsigned Built-up Areas the default limit is 50, 40 in School Zones during certain times of day. So unless the area is marked otherwise, you have to do 50
Then again, I've seen 60kph Signs in built-up areas, and 50 signs in less built up areas.
They've basically made the Speed Limit Zones so fucking confusing that you are bound to get caught sometimes and have to pay fines.
The Victorian Government loves money, and will do whatever it takes to take it from you.
Still. All these ads and speeding fines havent cut down the number of morons who do 130+ in 60 zones and wrap themeselves around poles/trees/shopfronts...
Clone Trooper:
Thanks for clearing this up. In Germany it's quite straightforward, city limits means 50 Kph, ped areas 30. They even put up IR or laser guided meters (dunno, I have yet to climb one and take it apart) in school areas that only display "Thank You" or "Slow Down" with pictorgrams of children across the road. These are unbelievably effective. Everybody aims for the "Thank You" (30 Kph).
But yeah, the feds are greedy enough to place a fucking camera where a speed violation endangers nothing but your damn wallet.
I love our road ads, they're so affecting. Some are shockingly violent, but the best (worst?) ones are shockingly sad. Watch this, seriously, watch it. See if you feel like speeding afterwards.
Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just speak your mind. We respect differing opinions on the site, so have at it. Be smart, funny, insightful, clueless, or cute -- but back it up with substance. Keep your cool, keep it fun. We only ask that you act respectfully and above all: don't be a troll and ruin it for everyone else. Don't bring down gamers or we'll, you know, gently shoot you in the face and stuff you into a flaming mailbox. Each comment is your opportuntity to make this community awesomer. Is that even a word?
Avoiding the banhammer only requires common sense: spamming, trolling, racism, NSFW stuff, and other forms of sucking will not be tolerated. If anyone is griefing please report abuse. Be good. Don't suck!
Contest:
5:00 PM on 09.07.2009
| 
What?
There was another ad of theirs, or maybe a british ad, where some guy is making out with his girlfriend... Then a speeding driver drives into them and crushes them both from the waist down.
I kid you not - a couple is making out in the countryside, then crushed from the waist down. The tagline was something along the lines of "Do it for her."
Also the TAC has the best ads, consistently shocking and amusing us for around a decade now.
Have a look at this latest one.
SNAP!
That video was more hilarious than shocking. I blame the Euphoria ragdoll system.
(i live in victoria, australia)
Yeah that ad is probably from the Mid 90s. the Victorian (state where I live, dunno bout the rest) have totally fucked with the Speed limit now.
Now in Unsigned Built-up Areas the default limit is 50, 40 in School Zones during certain times of day. So unless the area is marked otherwise, you have to do 50
Then again, I've seen 60kph Signs in built-up areas, and 50 signs in less built up areas.
They've basically made the Speed Limit Zones so fucking confusing that you are bound to get caught sometimes and have to pay fines.
The Victorian Government loves money, and will do whatever it takes to take it from you.
Still. All these ads and speeding fines havent cut down the number of morons who do 130+ in 60 zones and wrap themeselves around poles/trees/shopfronts...
Thanks for clearing this up. In Germany it's quite straightforward, city limits means 50 Kph, ped areas 30. They even put up IR or laser guided meters (dunno, I have yet to climb one and take it apart) in school areas that only display "Thank You" or "Slow Down" with pictorgrams of children across the road. These are unbelievably effective. Everybody aims for the "Thank You" (30 Kph).
But yeah, the feds are greedy enough to place a fucking camera where a speed violation endangers nothing but your damn wallet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EofAiiLd-uY